We believe that a true and comprehensive
understanding of Islam would not be possible without careful recognition of the
Prophetic Tradition and the Prophet's Household. And Allah is the Source of Strength.
Tragedy of Thursday; The Pen and Paper Incident
Every Muslims loves the Prophet (SAW) in their own way, with various emotional levels. Some will kill in order to protect the Prophet's honor and some will take out processions.
When cartoons published by Prophet (SAW) were published in Scandinavia, I remember the people in Pakistan showed their anger and disgust by damaging public property and taking out processions, shouting anti-Denmark slogans. This was their dislike, their disgust, their show of love for the Prophet (SAW), their dissociation from the cartoons, their Tabbara against those who disrespected the Prophet (SAW).
Yet when Shias show their disgust towards the people who disrespected the Prophet (SAW) during his very life time, Shias are highly criticized. Why I ask? Were the people around the Prophet (sahabis) allowed to disrespect the Prophet (SAW) or are the Shias not allowed to love the Prophet?
Maybe because the name of a highly Sunni-revered personality comes up in this list of such criticism, Sunnis are reluctant to discuss the issue of the Pen and Paper, more appropriately known as the Tragedy of Thursday.
To protect Umer, Sunnis
- Try to find faults in the Narration
- Try to prove the traditions are weak
- Try to defend the intentions of Umer
- Try to blame other companions other than Umer
Which traditions do i speak about?
Sa'id b. Jubair reported that Ibn 'Abbas said: Thursday, (and
then said): What is this Thursday? He then wept so much that his
tears moistened the pebbles. I said: Ibn 'Abbas, what is
(significant) about Thursday? He (Ibn 'Abbas) said: The illness of
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) took a serious turn (on
this day), and he said: Come to me, so that I should write for you a
document that you may not go astray after me. They (the Companions
around him) disputed, and it is not meet to dispute in the presence
of the Apostle. They said: How is lie (Allah's Apostle)? Has he lost
his consciousness? Try to learn from him (this point). He (the Holy
Prophet) said: Leave me. I am better in the state (than the one in
which you are engaged). I make a will about three things: Turn out
the polytheists from the territory of Arabia; show hospitality to
the (foreign) delegations as I used to show them hospitality. He
(the narrator) said: He (Ibn Abbas) kept silent on the third point,
or he (the narrator) said: But I forgot that.
Sahih Muslim, Book 13, Hadith 4014
Sa'id b. Jubair reported from Ibn Abbas that he said: Thursday,
and what about Thursday? Then tears began to flow until I saw them on his cheeks
as it they were the strings of pearls. He (the narrator) said that Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Bring me a shoulder blade and ink-pot
(or tablet and inkpot), so that I write for you a document (by following which)
you would never go astray. They said: Allah's Messenger (may peace upon him) is
in the state of unconsciousness.
Sahih Muslim, Book 13, Hadith 4015
Ibn Abbas reported:..... Allah's Apostle (may peace be
upon him) said: Come, I may write for you a document; you would not go astray
after that. Thereupon Umar said: Verily Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon
him) is deeply afflicted with pain. You have the Qur'an with you. The Book of
Allah is sufficient for us. Those who were present in the house differed.
Some of them said: Bring him (the writing material) so that Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) may write a document for you and you would never go
astray after him And some among them said what 'Umar had (already) said. When
they indulged in nonsense and began to dispute in the presence of Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him), he said: Get up (and go away) 'Ubaidullah
said: Ibn Abbas used to say: There was a heavy loss, indeed a heavy loss, that,
due to their dispute and noise. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) could
not write (or dictate) the document for them.
Sahih Muslim, Book 13, Hadith 4016
Narrated Said bin Jubair: Ibn 'Abbas said, "Thursday! What
(great thing) took place on Thursday!" Then he started weeping till his tears
wetted the gravels of the ground . Then he said, "On Thursday the illness of
Allah's Apostle was aggravated and he said, "Fetch me writing materials so that
I may have something written to you after which you will never go astray." The
people (present there) differed in this matter and people should not differ
before a prophet. They said, "Allah's Apostle is seriously sick.' The Prophet
said, "Let me alone, as the state in which I am now, is better than what you are
calling me for." The Prophet on his death-bed, gave three orders
saying, "Expel the pagans from the Arabian Peninsula, respect and give gifts to
the foreign delegates as you have seen me dealing with them." I forgot the third
(order)"....
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 52, Hadith 288
Narrated Said bin Jubair: that he heard Ibn 'Abbas saying,
"Thursday! And you know not what Thursday is? After that Ibn 'Abbas wept till
the stones on the ground were soaked with his tears. On that I asked Ibn 'Abbas,
"What is (about) Thursday?" He said, "When the condition (i.e. health) of
Allah's Apostle deteriorated, he said, 'Bring me a bone of scapula, so that I
may write something for you after which you will never go astray.'The people
differed in their opinions although it was improper to differ in front of a
prophet, They said, 'What is wrong with him? Do you think he is delirious? Ask
him (to understand). The Prophet replied, 'Leave me as I am in a better state
than what you are asking me to do.' .......
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 53, Hadith 393
Narrated Ibn Abbas: Thursday! And how great that Thursday was!
The ailment of Allah's Apostle became worse (on Thursday) and he said, fetch
me something so that I may write to you something after which you will never go
astray." The people (present there) differed in this matter, and it was not
right to differ before a prophet. Some said, "What is wrong with him ? (Do you
think ) he is delirious (seriously ill)? Ask him ( to understand his state )."
So they went to the Prophet and asked him again. The Prophet said, "Leave me,
for my present state is better than what you call me for." .....
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 59, Hadith 716
Narrated Ubaidullah bin 'Abdullah: Ibn Abbas said, "When
Allah's Apostle was on his deathbed and there were some men in the house, he
said, 'Come near, I will write for you something after which you will not go
astray.' Some of them ( i.e. his companions) said, 'Allah's Apostle is seriously
ill and you have the (Holy) Quran. Allah's Book is sufficient for us.' So the
people in the house differed and started disputing. Some of them said, 'Give
him writing material so that he may write for you something after which you will
not go astray.' while the others said the other way round. So when their talk
and differences increased, Allah's Apostle said, "Get up." Ibn Abbas used to
say, "No doubt, it was very unfortunate (a great disaster) that Allah's Apostle
was prevented from writing for them that writing because of their differences
and noise."
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 59, Hadith 717
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: When the time of the death of the
Prophet approached while there were some men in the house, and among them was 'Umar
bin Al-Khatttab, the Prophet said, "Come near let me write for you a writing
after which you will never go astray." 'Umar said, "The Prophet is seriously
ill, and you have the Quran, so Allah's Book is sufficient for us." The people
in the house differed and disputed. Some of them said, "Come near so that
Allah's Apostle may write for you a writing after which you will not go astray,"
while some of them said what 'Umar said. When they made much noise and differed
greatly before the Prophet, he said to them, "Go away and leave me." Ibn 'Abbas
used to say, "It was a great disaster that their difference and noise prevented
Allah's Apostle from writing that writing for them.
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 92, Hadith 468
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: When Allah's Apostle was on his
death-bed and in the house there were some people among whom was 'Umar bin Al-Khattab,
the Prophet said, "Come, let me write for you a statement after which you will
not go astray." 'Umar said, "The Prophet is seriously ill and you have the
Qur'an; so the Book of Allah is enough for us." The people present in the house
differed and quarrelled. Some said "Go near so that the Prophet may write for
you a statement after which you will not go astray," while the others said as
Umar said. When they caused a hue and cry before the Prophet, Allah's Apostle
said, "Go away!" Narrated 'Ubaidullah: Ibn 'Abbas used to say, "It was very
unfortunate that Allah's Apostle was prevented from writing that statement for
them because of their disagreement and noise."
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 70, Hadith 573